Chelsea are looking for only their second Premier League win of the campaign when they travel to west London rivals Fulham on Monday night.
The Blues got back to winning ways when they beat Brighton 1-0 in the Carabao Cup third round in midweek. Mauricio Pochettino will want more of the same from his side when they travel to Craven Cottage, a ground they lost at last season.
Fulham also secured a cup win on Wednesday evening, beating Championship side Norwich City 2-1 on home soil. The Cottagers currently sit above Chelsea in the Premier League having claimed eight points from their first six matches, but defeat on Monday would see the two sides swap places.
Here is all you need to know for Chelsea’s trip to Fulham.
Fulham vs Chelsea H2H Record (Last Five Games)
Current Form (all competitions)
|
Country |
TV channel / live stream |
|---|---|
|
United Kingdom |
Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League, Sky Ultra HD, Sky GO Extra, Sky Go UK |
|
United States |
fuboTV, nbcsports.com, NBC Sports App, USA Network, UNIVERSO |
|
Canada |
fuboTV Canada |
Marco Silva has two confirmed absentees for the visit of Chelsea; centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo and winger Adama Traore, both of whom picked up injuries in mid-September and will not return for several weeks at the very least.
Kenny Tete could return to the first team after missing Fulham‘s last two games, while Calvin Bassey is also a doubt for the match having come off with a slight knock against Norwich in the Carabao Cup.
Sasa Lukic is in line to finally get back on the pitch after an extended spell on the sidelines. The Serbian midfielder has been missing for the Cottagers since the end of August with an unspecified issue.
Fulham predicted lineup vs Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Leno; Tete, Ream, Diop, Robinson; Reed, Palhinha; Decordova-Reid, Pereira, Willian; Jimenez.
Chelsea‘s vast injury list has shown few signs of letting up, with Ben Chilwell’s name now added to it. The left-back was taken off with a hamstring problem against Brighton in midweek and will definitely miss out on the trip to Craven Cottage.
Nicolas Jackson was Chelsea’s matchwinner against Brighton but will be absent for the Fulham clash after somehow picking up five yellow cards in his first six matches. Armando Broja made a brief cameo on Wednesday after ten months sidelined and could be rushed back to the starting lineup due to Jackson’s suspension. Raheem Sterling could alternatively lead the line.
Malo Gusto is also suspended following his straight red card against Aston Villa in the Premier League last weekend, leaving Pochettino incredibly short in the full-back position with Reece James still out.
Benoit Badiashile, Marcus Bettinelli, Romeo Lavia, Trevoh Chalobah, Wesley Fofana, Carney Chukwuemeka and Christopher Nkunku remain out.
Chelsea predicted lineup vs Fulham (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; Cucurella, Disasi, Silva, Colwill; Caicedo, Gallagher; Palmer, Fernandez, Mudryk; Sterling.
Chelsea may have got the monkey off their back with a midweek win, but it was hardly the most convincing victory against an admittedly tough Brighton side. Confidence may be higher, but injuries are continuing to wreak havoc.
The defensive absentees mean that Pochettino will have to shuffle his backline around, potentially offering Fulham’s attackers a boost on Monday night. Jackson’s suspension could also cause significant problems up top, with Broja only just returning from a long-term layoff. Pochettino may need to come up with a creative solution there as well.
Fulham won this fixture last season and the return of Joao Palhinha to the starting lineup has been crucial in their improved form in recent weeks. The Cottagers will certainly not be fearing the arrival of their west London rivals, with Silva’s side more than capable of coming away with a positive result.
Prediction: Fulham 1-1 Chelsea
READ THE LATEST PREMIER LEAGUE NEWS, RUMOURS & GOSSIP
Read More: World News | Entertainment News | Celeb News
90Mins
